Keeping Human

Chapter Nine

The rain poured. Two werewolves prowled in the darkness, their boots trudging through the puddles left in the pot-holed tarmac. The street was silent, not a soul to be seen.

"We're too late," Ricky growled, "those f*****g blood-drinkers got here first." He threw his jacket onto the wet street, his scruffy hair dripping in the rain. "Dammit!"

Jared held a hand out. "Calm yourself, Ricky," he sighed and picked up the drenched jacket, "we don't want you phasing out in the open like this. This town is packed to the brim of mortals...if the wrong person sees you-"

"-We're exposed, yes, I know." He grumbled. "I've only been told that a thousand times by Alpha."

"Then you'd do well to remember it." Jared threatened. His face contorted into a frown and he briskly sniffed the air. "You smell that?"

Ricky shook his head. "Smell what?"

Jared smirked. "Exactly. No mortal blood, no smell at all. If the vampires had been here and killed a mortal, we'd know about it."

"But they accounted a dead body." He frowned. "Unless...they killed an immortal." Ricky suggested.

Jared gave him a proud pat on the back. "Well done, lad. This way," he said, "let's ask this lady."

Upon approaching the cafe Nelly and Seth had been sitting in prior, the witch closed the doors at their arrival.

"No dogs except guide dogs." She grimaced. Tucking a strand of her dark green hair behind her ear with a heavily-tattooed arm.

Jared forced a smile. "Excuse me miss witch, we were hoping you would point us in the direction of a girl accompanied by a male vampire. Or, perhaps a group of vampires came by?"

The witch narrowed her eyes. "What do you want with them?"

Jared took a breath. "The two together are suspects in a crime...and the four vampires are, well, looking for them and we'd like to get to them first. You know, to keep them safe."

The witch raised her eyebrows. "Keep them safe." She scoffed. "London, I think I heard that's where they're headed. Now scat before I call the pound."

"Of course." Jared grit through his teeth and forced a grateful smile.

A few paces backward he stepped. The witch closed the door in their faces.

"Why must we act so polite to creatures like her?" Ricky grumbled.

Jared sighed. "To stay out of trouble. The witch council are much more menacing than ours, my friend. Lest we can say for our troublesome vampire bounties."

"What does alpha want from them?" Ricky kicked at the wet floor.

"It's the girl," Jared started, "it's all about this girl. This beautiful girl." He shook his head. "She's the one from the prophecy, a hybrid daughter from each race - the one that will end the wars, the contracts, the treaties. Everything. Whoever owns this girl, owns the world. And the f*****g vampires have her."

Ricky frowned. "She has a vampiric protector." He said, putting his wet jacket back on.

"He's not very strong. I don't reckon he's fed since partnering up with Nelly Fox." Jared scratched his bare chin. "Which means he's weak. Which means once we get him away from her, we can take her. But we must do that before he feeds...or they reach the capital. Once they have PROTECTION, they'll be untouchable. I don't fancy being beheaded any time soon."

"We have her brother and sister." Ricky scoffed. "She'd just hand herself over if it wasn't for him."

Jared glanced over at his pack member with a smirk. "If it wasn't for him."

∘

Nelly shivered. "The rain is still falling."

"It will stop sooner or later, the sun will rid it." Seth brushed off. Trudging along the dirt path, he scuffed his boots. "The wolves will be after us soon."

Nelly shuddered. "Can't you just run with me? We'd get to London faster and safer."

Seth shook his head slowly. "I can't."

Nelly frowned and glanced over at him. "Why not? Is it some sort of special power that needs to recharge?"

"No," he chuckled gently, "it's energy that needs to be recharged. Energy that comes from food."

"Why didn't you finish your food from the cafe?" Nelly asked.

Seth glanced down at her and met her eyes. He awaited her realisation.

"Oh...right." She gulped, her blood ran cold, sending her hair on end.

"Don't worry," the corner of his mouth crooked, "I won't drink from you. I'll find something else." 

She breathed a sigh of relief. "That would be preferable. My last experience wasn't exactly comfortable."

"It will be your first, and your last, let me assure you." He huffed. "I won't let anything like that happen to you again."

Nelly looked away. "What must we do once we've reached London? After we've got PROTECTION, I mean."

Leaves rustled beyond them, the gentle pitter-patter of rain was shrouded beneath the forest trees. A lonely deer stepped out into the brush, gently nibbling the green below her hooves.

Seth's nose caught the scent. He stopped.

Nelly turned to him. "What's the matter?"

He frowned. "It's a deer."

Nelly's eyes wandered to where Seth was looking. Sure enough, a lonesome speckled deer was trudging through the dry leaves. She didn't seem to notice the vampire getting dangerously close.

Her heart thumped. Music to his ears. A deer was nothing in comparison to the sweet nectar that dripped from humans, but it was food.

Her head lifted, her ears pointed to attention. Something wasn't right.

The vampire drifted closer; like a mist, he pounced. The poor deer had no chance. He sunk his two long, thin fangs into it's neck and it let out a cry as he bit down.

In a moment, it was over. The sound of her struggling was silent. He took his fill.

Nelly cowered behind him, her body shaking. She could only see the shadows of the predator in the trees, but it was enough to know what was happening. The deer was dead...and so was Seth. 

"This whole time..." Nelly gulped, "I completely forgot what you are."

Seth furrowed his brows, emerging from the woodland. His mouth painted red, and his teeth lined with ligaments and skin. His eyes were jet black, dark veins streaked trough his cheeks.

"A monster..." She whimpered, backing away from him.

He lurched forward in a moment; grabbing her hair and forcing her to look at him. She whimpered again, and clasped her eyes shut, shaking in his grip.

"If I'm a monster, then so are you." He hissed.

Her eyes opened, her vision blurred by the rain. His eyes gradually faded from black to their usual faint brown.

For a moment, in amidst the rain and fear, Nelly felt peaceful. Beautiful.

The creature before her was nothing but a man, cursed with a never-ending immortality. He was no monster, just a person.

"Detective Seth Thorne." A familiar voice croaked through the rain. "Let go of the girl."

Nelly glanced to her right; a giant werewolf stared back at her. It's glowing orbs standing out in its large head. Beside him stood Jared, the man she'd met months ago in the woods with Ophelia. He was shirtless, his toned body scarred. He wore a pair of ripped shorts and a defiant smirk.

"Jared." Seth growled, and slowly released his grip on Nelly's hair. "Turn around and there will be no bloodshed."

Jared glanced at the blood around Seth's mouth. "Looks like there's already been bloodshed; you've broken the treaty. Where's the bite? You always wanted a little human pet beside you, didn't you?"

The wolf bedside him snarled, baring his fangs, drool dripping from his mouth. His jaws snapped.

"Hand over the girl. Now." He said, his eyes never wavering from hers.

"You can have the girl," Seth began, "when you can take her from me."

Jared chuckled. "Call them."

Almost as a command, the beige wolf beside him let out a menacing howl that resonated through the trees.

Jared jumped forward into the vampire's grip; phasing in his arms. Seth groaned and fell backwards as the giant, dark wolf growled and sneered. He snapped his jaws toward Seth.

Seth stood to his feet, pushing Nelly backwards. She fell to the wet ground with a thud. He pounced, arms outstretched, grabbing a hold of the wolf's sides. Seth was strong, but the wolf was stronger. He grabbed a hold of Seth's arm and flung him into a nearby tree.

Seth let out a groan and gripped his arm; blood seeped from the teeth marks made by the werewolf.

His eyes melted black, and his veins rose into his cheeks. He let out a yell as he stood to his feet, darting at the confident wolf.

You're not strong enough. Nelly thought, her heart racing in her ears.

Seth grabbed a hold of Jared's ribs and squeezed as hard as he could. He whined and yelped and cried as the vampire cracked his bones.

The other wolf turned his attention to Jared in a deathly grip and sulked behind him. He reached position and snarled.

"Seth! Behind you!" Nelly shrieked and shuffled backwards on the floor. She hit something that stopped her.

Seth glanced behind him and dodged the wolf's pounce, causing him to jump onto Jared. The wolves steadied themselves. Jared limped.

Before Seth could jump once more to finish off the wolf, a whimper from behind cut him off. He turned to face Nelly, who was being held by the neck. The man holding her was Oliver. The Alpha.

"Good show, boys." He smiled, his eyes glowing orange in the moonlight.

"Let her go." Seth croaked. "Don't you f*****g touch her."

He stormed forward, with intent to kill them all if he had to. Oliver sighed and gestured to the wolves behind him. Ricky did as commanded and grabbed a hold of Seth's shoulder, pulling him to the ground and immobilising him.

"You've behaved terribly, detective." Oliver sighed. "Take him back the safe house in Veciba, put him in with Caleb and Madeline and see what he's made of. We move all the prisoners to the pack garrison in an hour. I'll meet you there with this one." He glanced down at Nelly, smirking deviously. "Don't worry sweetheart, we've got you now. We saved you from the monsters. We're the good guys."

•

Caleb cradled his little sister in his arms as best he could. She wept gently into his shoulder.

"Shh," he hushed soothingly, "it's going to be alright."

They'd been there for almost two days, left hungry and cold, tied against the staircase banister. Madeline was weak, deserving more than a drop of water. This had once been his pack, his family.

So-called. He thought, gently smelling his sisters head. They'd kill me in a second I I were to phase...or Maddie, I'd never be able to risk her life. Not here, not now. Not ever.

The door flung open whilst he sat in solemn thought; the pack stormed into the safe house. Seth was thrown onto the hard floor; his face had taken a beating on the way. Blood dripped from his nose and lip. Oliver followed shortly behind with Nelly in his arms and a devious smile on his face.

"Nelly!" Caleb yelped, jumping up from his restraints.

"Shut your mouth, pup!" Jared kicked Caleb's leg. "Keep your f*****g mouth shut - we have both your sisters."

"That's enough, Jared." Oliver rolled his eyes. "Caleb is going to behave for us, aren't you?"

Caleb hesitantly nodded, his eyes wavering towards Nelly. Her body shivered. Her clothes wet through. Her hair matted.

"I have another task for you." Oliver said. "I need you to escort Miss Fox over to Native Ash, at the Ohia River."

"And you're coming with us?" He asked.

"No, we're staying here to avoid any unwanted attention. You will go alone, unnoticed. When you reach the River, present her at my name to the King. He will know what to do. We're going to stay back and get some information out of these two." He smiled and glanced down at Caleb and Seth.

Jared nodded and took a length of rope from his pack mate who'd handed it to him. He gently tied her wrists and left a half a metre to guide her with.

Prisoner?

"Please," she whispered, "just let me talk to my brother and sister - you know him, you know how much he cares about me. Just let me-"

"-Shut up." He ordered, and tightened her restraints. In one swift motion, he dragged her from the room, leaving her siblings and Seth behind.

"Detective Seth Thorne, look at you now. How frail you've become." Oliver kicked the vampire's shin to which he let out a soft grunt. "Pathetic." The Alpha sulked around the room, representing the very wolf he was; he stood tall, higher above the others - and his arms, shaped as though they could cut through boulders. The vampire had no chance in a subtle room shaped by wolves.

"You're the pathetic one, Oliver...going out of your way to take a little girl hostage - yes, how very brave of you!"

Oliver stuck again, this time, his foot made contact with Seth's jaw. Click.

"What do you expect to get out of this?" Seth said muffled, clutching his jaw. "The girl is in your possession...you have three hostages. What is your goal?"

"Your leader...Ysabelle - she's causing me some backlash. I need to know as much about her and your lair as I possibly can if we are to prevail. And who better to help than a detective?"

"I can think of a few more." He growled, lifting himself from the floor slightly.

"Hmm? Do share." Oliver smirked and leaned closer to him.

"The vampric council, where you will answer for your crimes against humans. We were supposed to follow a law!"

"A law which you blood suckers broke first!" He shouted back and kicked him to the ground. He calmed and stood to his feet. "Your little toy...the silver haired whisper you once loved. What happened to her?"

Seth stayed still, fighting back tears, unwilling to show vulnerability.

"I don't know what you're talking about." He denied.

Oliver smirked; the subject was a spark, and it lit a fire inside of him. "There were two in the woods that day Jared located the girl...two innocent beings. One was wanted, the other was not...cast out like artificial light. What happened to her, detective?"*

Seth's eyes searched the Alpha's deep, yellow orbs. "There was no other girl. I don't quite know what you mean."

Oliver smiled and let out a sinister chuckle. "Ah," he began, backing away to reach something on the table behind him, "so these don't look familiar to you?!" He threw Polaroid photographs at Seth who lay on the floor. "Was she just another suicide case - or was it something more?"

Seth reached forward and slowly picked up one of the photographs. He held it between his deathly stiff fingers. A girl was pictured in the centre: she lay against the cold, hard floor which reflected water, her wrists slit and dripping blood into the water-stream, her neck torn open.

"You have to do this for me...for us, sweetheart." Desire and greed disguised as love dripped from the vampire's tongue.

She lay still for a moment. "Will it hurt?"

Seth smiled gently and stroked her blonde hair. "No baby, just for a second and then it's over. I promise."

Her face formed a loving smile. "And this way we can be together, forever?"

"Eternity." He smiled. His mouth sold the lie, but his eyes held the truth.

"She was just a pawn wasn't she? Just a pawn in your little mind games so you could reach the real treasure...Nelly Fox - the prophecy that will hold the key to the universe. Whoever holds her has the control, right? That's what your leader wants." Oliver run a hand over his chapped lips. "I wonder...what kind of pain did the Cricket family go through after what happened to their daughter." He shook his head. "What sort of pain did the young girl feel when she was stripped from life...or was it all masked by the stench of your vampric lies?"

Caleb searched the photograph Seth held up. His heart sunk.

Ophelia.

Oliver reached down, leaning close the the vampire. No breath misted from his mouth...no breathing of any kind. Dead.

"When she wasn't needed anymore, what happened to her? Was she thrown away like a piece of plastic?" Oliver smiled, watching the vampire for any signs of emotion. "Did you do it yourself? Did you leave her to die? Or..." he began, the words almost seeping from his lips, he leaned in close, the Alpha's breath fresh on Seth's ear, "did you relish in the fact your chore was over and done with so you could reach the real prize!-"

Seth suddenly lunged forward, sinking his four inch fangs into the wolfs exposed neck. He bit down hard, determined to cause serious damage.

"AHH!" The Alpha cried out, yanking the vampire from his skin. Several other wolves held Seth back and others pulled their Alpha to safety from the dead creature. He stepped back, stumbling lightly, his neck began spouting blood. One wolf screamed: "MEDIC!", to which Jack instinctively dashed forward and held a cloth to the Alpha's neck.

"RIP HIS f*****g TEETH OUT!" Oliver shrieked. "TIE HIM TO THE CHAIR. TAKE OFF HIS RING." He barked orders at his pack, to which they swiftly followed. Seth was lifted from his position; the deer he had eaten earlier hadn't given him the strength to take out five werewolves in one go.

"Let's see how long it takes for him to sizzle." Ricky snarled as he took a hold of him.

He fought, but was restrained, he hadn't the power to fight back. He kicked and hissed, his body pinned down by the wolves.

CHAPTER NINE, END.